Wax, Laser, Shave, or Au Naturel: Hair Removal 101

Bikini lines and hair removal are on our mind this time of year, and judging by the overwhelming response to our reader poll about personal grooming, Blisstree readers are also worried about the hair down there. More than 1,000 Blisstree readers responded to our poll to tell us how they prefer to preen their private areas, giving us some interesting stats.

Here’s how you gals treat your beastly bikini lines, and some hair removal basics:

1) Shaving

51% of you do the razor, and we don’t blame you: It’s convenient and up-front costs are low. Those are big Pros, but what about the Cons? High likelihood of ingrown hairs, and a pretty steep long-term cost. Razor cartridges tend to run between $1.50 and $2.00. Supposing you spend about $4.00/month on razor cartridges (probably a low estimate for most of us), that adds up to $1,968 between the ages of 19 and 60 years old. That’s also a lot of used (non-biodegradable) cartridges going into landfills – something we don’t feel great about.

2) Au Naturel

25% of you skip the process altogether. Pros: It’s free and no-hassle. Cons: Well, this one’s just a matter of opinion.

3) Salon Wax

10% of our readers say they head to the salon for a wax. Waxes can be pricey, but once you get one, they’re lower maintenance than shaving, and many experience fewer ingrown hairs this way. An added perk? Hair grows back thinner after waxing.

4) Self-Wax

9% of you brave souls rip out your own unwanted hair. If you can manage this, congratulations! At-home kits are cheaper than salon waxes, but depending on how much you’re removing, and where, giving yourself an at-home bikini wax can be a bit of a circus act.

5) Laser Hair Removal

5% of our readers have banished their bikini hair forever with laser hair removal. No ingrown hairs, no maintenance, and no regular costs. The price is steep, though, and the process isn’t painless. Plus, this isn’t for everyone: It works best on those with dark hair and light skin – blondes and those with darker skin tones have a lower success rate.